Discussion with author David Mintz, MD with discussion by Catherine Stevenson, MD

The histories of psychoanalysis and biomedical psychiatry have promoted a polarization between these disciplines. Often, this has led psychoanalysts to adopt a narrowly biomedical view of psychopharmacology (while simultaneously being critical of biopsychiatry for holding a biomedically-reductionist focus). Under scrutiny, a dualistic understanding of pharmacotherapy breaks down. In many cases, psychiatric medications are even more symbolically-active than they are directly biologically-active. Psychoanalysis has much to say about symbolic aspects of pharmacotherapy and clinically-meaningful aspects of the therapeutic relationship that can helpful to psychiatry. At the same time, polarization has promoted a general neglect of interactions of pharmacotherapy and psychoanalysis, despite the fact that a large percentage of analysands are now receiving both treatments. In this discussion, we will consider a specific model for integrating psychodynamics and pharmacotherapy, Psychodynamic Psychopharmacology, as well as broader questions of the relationship of psychoanalysis